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The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has dismissed speculation that his return to his paternal ancestral home, Tsiame in the Volta Region, was a strategic move to position himself as an independent candidate for the Keta constituency parliamentary seat.
“I’m not also here to prepare myself to be an independent candidate for the Keta constituency. My visit has no ulterior motives,” he said at a durbar held in his honour on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin is the incumbent Member of Parliament for Effutu in the Central Region. He has been in Parliament since January 7, 2013, representing the people of Effutu on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He has risen from a back-bencher to the front row and now serving as the leader of the minority group and main opposition political party in the current Parliament.
His father hails from Tsiame in the Keta area, while his mother is from Effutu, where he has lived and represented the people in Parliament in the last 13 years.
At the durbar in Tsiame, the Minority Leader donated skill-development equipment, including 100 sewing machines and 100 hairdryers, worth thousands of Ghana cedis, to various women’s groups in support of vocational training and livelihoods in the community.
He emphasised that the gesture was purely developmental, intended to “light a spark of opportunity to stitch together a failure of economic freedom, and to stand beside the women who keep our communities strong.”
“These aren’t just machines – they’re keys to self-reliance, symbols of dreams in motion, and the scaffolding for a future where a woman can define her own destiny,” he declared.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said he had no intention of contesting to become an MP for the area.
“So, I want all of us here to take that out of our minds. If anything, we are here to support our brother and the community. So, it’s my own little contribution for the parents who brought me to life – mum and dad,” he explained.
He added that, just as he has done for Winneba in the Effutu constituency, his return to Tsiame and its surrounding communities would bring numerous developmental opportunities.
“Tsiame is my hometown. That is where my father hails from. Winneba, where I represent the people, is my mother’s side. While I continue to develop Winneba in the Effutu constituency, I assure you that Tsiame’s development is also close to my heart. I will not leave you behind,” he said.
The lawmaker stressed the importance of harnessing the community’s human capital, especially women, by empowering them to make a sustainable living – a move he believes could be transformative for the area.
“As the son before you, I am reminded of the timeless words of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah who, in his 1957 Independence speech, proclaimed our independence was meaningless unless it was linked up with the total liberation of the African continent.
In the spirit of Nkrumah’s vision, I say to you today that the progress of Tsiame, and indeed of Ghana, is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of our women from the burdens of economic hardships,” he noted.
The MP for Keta, Kwame Gakpey, who accompanied the Minority Leader, described their partnership as a model for nation-building.
“This programme is a shining example of what we can achieve when we come together – traditional authorities, government, community organisations, and the people of Tsiame, united by a shared vision,” he stated.
He urged the beneficiaries of the sewing machines and hairdryers “not to sell them but rather use them as tools to empower themselves and make money from them.”
The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Kenneth Ashigbey, also commended Afenyo-Markin for having the heart and mindset to contribute to the development of Tsiame.
He described the initiative as one that cuts across political lines and highlighted how partisanship has negatively impacted nation-building.
